Lifting jack



l June 14, 1938. c. E.y PEcKl-:NPAUGH 2,20,625

LIFTING JACK Filed May 21, 1937 2 sheets-sheet 2 Inventor ELPeckenpaugh UNITED STATES PATENT` orFlcE LIFTING JACK Charles Elija Peekenpaugh, Aylsham, Saskatchewan, Canada Application May 21, 1937, Serial No. 144,045

9 Claims.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a lifting jack wherein the raising and lowering of the elevator member is accomplished by upward and downward strokes of a suitably inserted tool resulting in a step by step movement in either direction.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the above mentioned character having duel rack standards and a pair of rack dogs coacting with said rack standards to support the elevator member and to obtain leverage first from one standard and then from the other in the operation of said elevator member.

A further object of the invention is to provide simple tension means to co-act with the rack dogs to selectively hold said dogs momentarily free of their associated rack standard in the lowering operation of the elevator member.

A further object of the invention is to construct the jack whereby the up and down movement of the elevator member is governed by reverse positions of the tool member in the tool f guide.

.A further object of the invention is to provide .a side attachable step lift operable in conjunction with the elevator member and releasably connected thereto at all positions of said elevator member.

Further objects of the invention are to construct the jack in a simple, compact, cheap and durable manner and such that it cannot slip, to provide a relatively narrow mechanism for insertion into awkward openings, a mechanism having no receptacles for damaging objects to fall in andV one which can be quickly dismantled ior repair or other purposes.

With the above important objects in view which will become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists essentially, in the arrangement and construction of parts hereinafter, more particularly described, reference 4being had to the accompanying drawings in which,

Fig. l is a side view of the lifting jack.

Fig. 2 is a plan View thereof.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional View of the lower part of the jack taken at 3 3, Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged horizontal sectional View taken at 44, Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken at 5-5, Fig. l.

Fig. 6 is a partial vertical sectional view taken at -6, Fig. 4 with the step lift removed.

Fig. 7 is a partial central vertical sectional view taken at I---'I, Fig. 4 with the operating tool removed.

Fig. 8 is a perspective View of one of the rack dogs.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the trigger mem- 5 ber.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged vertical section taken at IIJ-I0, Fig. 1.

Fig. l1 is a vertical section taken at II--II, Fig. 10.Y f10 Fig. 12 is a perspective view of. the step lift lock and release bolt.

In the drawings, like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several gures. 15

A rectangular shaped flat base I is provided witl1 a pair of spaced upwardly projecting standards 2 and 3 of a rectangular shape in crosssection. The interior sides of the standards are each provided with a vertical series of ratchet t teeth 4 and 5, the teeth on one standard being in staggered relation with the teeth on the opposite standard and said teeth are positioned centrally of the standards, terminating a short distance from either edge. The upper ends of the l" lstandards are connected by a sill plate 6, slightly wider than the standards and said sill plate is provided with a rectangular central opening 1.

A solid elevator member 8 is vslidably received between the standards, is of an H-shape in crosssection to span the ratchetteeth 4 and 5 and the sides thereof are flush with the edges of the standards. The upper part of the elevator member projects through the opening 'I and the upper end is provided with a saddle 9 of slightly larger 35 horizontal area for contact with the objects to be lifted. The lower end of the elevator member is cut in on the sides adjacent the standard teeth to provide a downwardly extending tongue I6. A pin II extends centrally through the tongue and the ends thereof are pivotally received by the side arms I2 and I3 of a bale shaped member I4 which spans the standards. The side arms of said bale shaped member converge on one side of the jack and form a guide I5 to receive a at operating 45 tool I6.

A pair of dogs I1 and I8 (shown in Fig. 8) are positioned below the elevator member and on either side of the tongue I0. These dogs are of a block shape and, on one side, are each provided with a yplurality of ratchet teeth I9 which conform with and engage the ratchet teeth 4 and 5 of the standards 2 and 3. The outer sides of the dogs are also flush with the sides of the standards.

A pair of flat springs 20 and 2I are fastened to 55 the tongue Ill and are adapted to press against the rear faces of the above mentioned dogs to hold the teeth thereof in engagement with the teeth on the standards.

Each of the above mentioned dogs is provided with drilled holes 22 and 23 which receive pins 24, 25, 26 and 21. These pins extend beyond the dogs, on either side, and the pins 24 and 26 are received in slots 28 and 29 on the side arms l2 and I3. Said slots are radial to the pin I I. The pins 25 and 2'I project outward below the side arms.

From the above arrangement it will be observed, that if the tool I6 is raised, the side arms I2 and I3 will pivot on the pins 2li and through the pin I I, the elevator member will be lifted. In so doing, the dog I8 will be raised clear of its associated rack teeth until a distance of one tooth is reached when the spring 2I will press it into engagement with the upper teeth. If the tool is then pressed down, the side arms will pivot on the pins 26, lift the elevator member, and the dog Il will rise until one tooth distance is reached and then the spring 2l) will force it into engagement with its associated rack. By such repeated up and down movements of the tool, the elevator member may be raised any desired height.

On either side of the jack, between the pins 24 to 2'I and at the side of the side arms I2 and I3, I mount a trigger member 33 which is held in place by cotter pins 3I which pass through and connect the pins 24 and 25 and the pins 2t and 21. The trigger members are each composed of a narrow plate 32 having enlarged tapered ends 33. At the centre of the narrow portion, the trigger members are provided with an outwardly extending stub 34 which is received within a slot 35 of links 36, the upper ends of which are pivoted to side bosses 31 on either side of the elevator member. A U-shaped spring wire 38 spans one side of the jack, the ends are hooked into holes in the links 36 and said spring is tensioned by a projecting pintle 39 which passes through the elevator member Vand causes the central portion of the spring to enter notches 4I! formed on the upper edges of the side members I2 and I3.

One corner of the tool I6 is curved as at II while the opposite corner has a step cut-out 42. The operation will now be described.

To lift the elevator member, the tool I6 is inserted in the guide I5 as shown in Fig. 6 with the curved corner on the top. This curved corner pushes the spring 38 out of thefnotches fit) and as the tool is raised and lowered as described above, it raises the elevator member and the spring 38 passes back and forth across the notches 4E. When the elevator member is to be lowered, the tool is removed from the guide and re-inserted with the step cut-out 42 on the top. Accordingly, when the tool is raised to a horizontal position, the spring 38 drops into the notches 4i?. When the tool is raised higher, the spring 38 exerts a tensioned pressure on the links 36 which end shifts thetrigger members Bil and the enlarged tapered ends thereof act on the pins 2li and 21 to move the dog I8 out of engagement with the rack teeth against the actionA of the spring 2|. As the tool is lowered, the tension in the spring 38 continues to hold the dog free, permitting it to pass down to the lower teeth of the rack, at which time, the spring 2 I is strong enough to force it into engagement therewith. As the tool passes farther down, the spring 38 pulls the links 36 and causes the dog I'I to Withdraw from its associated rack teeth. The tool is then moved up and the tension in the spring 38 holds the dog free until it passes down to the lower rack teeth in the same way as above described. By such continued up and down movement, the elevator member may be completely lowered.

On the sides of the` standard 2, I provide grooves 43 to receive a pair of hooked lugs 44 of a step lift 35. This step lift is of a T shape and is slidable on the side of the standard while the upper end is provided with a pair of further hooked lugs I6 adapted to enter grooves 41 on the saddle 3. A dog i8 is also pivoted to the upper end of the step lift and is received within a corresponding oricc 49 in the saddle and locked therein by a lock bolt 5G passing through the saddle. One end of the lock bolt has a square shank 5l and the centre portion is cut away on lthe side as at 52 in` order that when the bolt is turned, the cut away portion will release the dog d8' andrpe'rmit the step lift to drop. To accomplish the turning of the lock bolt, a square hole 53 is provided in the tool I6 and accordingly, it can be used as a wrench for the lock bolt. The step lift has an advantage for railroad use in that rails andties may be lifted up, gravel inserted underneath and the rail and ties dropped to pack the gravel.

What I 'claim as my invention is:

l. In a lift jack, a pair of upstanding, spaced rack standards and an elevator member slidably mounted therebetween, a pair of: rack dogs tensicnally held in engagement with said rack standards, an operable control bar pivoted to the elcvator member and to each or" said rack dogs, spring means controlling said rack dogs and releasably connected to said control bar for selectively withdrawing said dogs from their engaged position on. said rack standards in the movement of said control bar.

2. In a lift jack, a pair of upstanding, spaced rack standards, and an elevator member slidably mounted therebetween, a pair of rack dogs tensionally heldin engagement with said rack standards, an operable control bar pivoted to the elevator member and to each of said rack dogs, a trigger member for selectively moving said rack dogs, a linl; member pivoted to said trigger member and said elevator member, and spring means connected to said Vlink member Yand releasably connected to said control bar for end shifting said trigger member in the pivoting movement of said control bar on said elevator member.

3. In a lifting jack, a pair oi upstanding spaced standards having rack teeth on their opposing faces, an elevator member slidably mounted between said standards and having a downwardly extending central tongue, a pair of rack dogs positioned on either side of the tongue and the teeth of said dogs engaging the teeth of the standards under pressure of dual spring means located between said dogs and said tongue, a control bar pivoted to said tongue and said bar slotted to receive pivot pins projecting from said dogs, a trigger member associated with said dogs and adapted in its end movement to move one or said dogs inward while the other dog remains stationary, and secondary spring means connected to said trigger member and releasably connected to said control bar to end shift said trigger member in the movement of said control bar.

4. In a lift jack, a pair of upstanding spaced rack standards and an elevator member slidably mounted therebetween, a pair of rack dogs tensionally held in engagement with said rack standards, an operable control bar pivoted to the elevator member, each of said ra'ck dogs having pins n pivoted in slots in said control bar, a trigger mechanism controlling the movement of said pins in said slots, and means operating through said trigger mechanism for selectively withdrawing said dogs from their engaged position on said rack standards in the movement of said control bar.

5. In a lift jack, a pair of upstanding spaced rack standards and an elevator member slidably mounted therebetween, a pair of rack dogs tensionally held in engagement with said rack standards, an operable control bar pivoted to the elevator member and to each of said rack dogs, spring means controlling said rack dogs, an operating tool receivable by said 'control bar for operating same, means for selectively connecting said operating tool with said spring controlling means when said operating tool is inserted in said con trol bar to selectively withdraw said dogs from their engaged position on said rack standards in the movement of said operating tool and control bar.

6. In a lift jack, a pair of upstanding spaced rack standards and an elevator member slidably mounted therebetween, a pair of rack dogs tensionally held in engagement with said rack standards, an operable control bar pivoted to the elee vator member and to each of said rack dogs, spring means for withdrawing Said dogs from their engaged position on said rack standards, an operating tool dually receivable by said control bar, means for connecting said operating tool with said spring means in one receivable position of the operating tool to alternately Withdraw the dogs from their associated rack standards and re-engage them therewith at a lower elevation in the movement of said operating tool and said control bar.

7. In a lift jack, a pair of upstanding spaced rack standards and an elevator member slidably mounted therebetween, a pair of rack dogs tensionally held in engagement with said rack standards, an operable control bar pivoted to the elevator member, each of said rack dogs having pins pivoted in slots in said control bar, a trigger mechanism controlling the movement of said pins in said slots, an operating tool dually receivable by said control bar, means for connecting said operating tool with said trigger mechanism in one receivable position of the operating tool to alternately withdraw the dogs from their associated rack standards and reengage them therewith at a lower elevation in the movement of said operating tool and control bar.

8. In a lift jack, a pair Vof upstanding spaced rack standards and an elevator member slidably mounted therebetween, a pair of rack dogs tensionally held in engagement with said rack standards, an operable control bar pivoted to the elevator member and to each of said rack dogs, spring means controlling said rack dogs and releasably connected to said control bar for selectively withdrawing said dogs from their engaged position on said rack standards in the movement of said control bar, a step lift slidably mounted on one of said standards, a dog pivoted to the upper end of said step lift and held to said elevator member by a lock bolt rotatably mounted in said elevator member, and means on said lock bolt for releasing said pivoted dog upon the rotation of said lock bolt.

9. In a lift jack having a pair of standards with a vertically movable elevator member therebetween, a step lift slidably mounted on one of said standards, a dog pivoted to the upper end of said step lift and held to said elevator member by a lock bolt rotatably mounted on said elevator member, and means on said lock bolt for releasing said pivoted dog upon the rotation of said lock bolt.

CHARLES ELIJA PECKENPAUGH, 

